Resort Attractions

There’s so much to do in Vail it’s difficult to recommend one activity over another, but ski biking is something that few resorts offer but which is easy to ‘give-it-a-go’ at the resort. Head up to Adventure Ridge (+1 (970) 754 8245), a large snowy park on top of the mountain and you can try ski-biking day or night. What is it? Well something like a bike, with skis instead of wheels, you slide down the slopes on it with mini skis strapped to your feet. Simple. Or maybe not. Two hour guided tours are available for intermediate to advanced level skiers aged 14 and over and at least four feet, six inches tall.

Shopping

With over 200 shops in the valley, Vail is a leading shopping destination in its own right, so a good choice for any keen skiers wanting a holiday with a non-skiing shopaholic friend or partner. In fact it’s even better than some other big shopping resorts like Banff or Innsbruck because you can more easily ski down and meet up during the day rather than having to head out of town to get to the ski lifts.

Although a large number of shops are spread along the Valley road, meaning a car is required to get between them, a greater proportion are within small malls and the pedestrianised centre of Vail so are easy to meander between on foot.

Gift shops of one kind or another are big in Vail Village with an onus on the up-market, including jewellers, florists, cashmere specialist, lots of art galleries in all shapes and sizes and there are so many furriers it would make a nineteenth century Russian countess blush. But there are plenty of ‘regular’ gift shops too for the less well heeled.